Americans spent $55.7 billion on their pets last year—actually a %4.5 increase over the year before. While the figure includes spending on food and veterinarians, pet services such as grooming, training and boarding grew fastest, %6.1 , or $4.5 billion. And those items are expected to grow even more this year. Still the largest expenditure was on food, $21.6 billion. Trade groups say that pet owners are looking for higher quality food for their animals. They add that food and veterinary expenses are very much related to wanting improved health care for pets.
Since humans do have a responsibility to animals, it’s comforting that pets are well treated. Let’s hope that the love of animals this speaks to will translate to other animal causes such as the killing of elephants and rhinos for their tusks, animal smuggling, abandoned pets, horses and cattle suffering from drought in central California, animal abuse of all kinds…
Yes, I do hope that our increased outpouring of love for our animal brothers and
sisters does include our actions to help endangered and threatened species.
I know, that since having pet lizards for the past few years, I notice an
increase in my donations to causes such as Defenders of Wildlife, and can
only visualize others who care for animals doing the same. We are indeed
responsible for the health and well being of those other kingdoms with whom we share this planet.